This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) of Korean Patent Application Nos. 2004-0029668, filed on Apr. 28, 2004, and 2004-0075060, filed on Sep. 20, 2004, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a media cassette of a printing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a removably detachable portable media cassette that may be separated from the printing apparatus and includes a loading case and a spacer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printing apparatus, particularly, a portable printing apparatus such as a small photo-printer includes a portable media cassette. The portable media cassette receives media. For purposes of convenience, the media cassette may be separated from the printing apparatus.
The printing apparatus uses various kinds of media that have different sizes from each other. Typically, media cassettes receive only one kind of medium. Therefore, in order to use various kinds of media, various media cassettes should be used. However, using various media cassettes is burdensome on consumers and increases production costs for manufacturers. Additionally, a user should select media cassettes corresponding to a size of medium on which the image will be printed and install the media cassette in the printing apparatus. Furthermore, in a case of using a portable printing apparatus, a plurality of media cassettes should accompany the printing apparatus.
Accordingly, there is a need for a media cassette of a printing apparatus that simplifies loading operations of various kinds of media and reduces costs associated with production.